


Second Batch

by RyanTyler2294



Series: Making a Family [2]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Wedding, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:55:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22395910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyanTyler2294/pseuds/RyanTyler2294
Summary: Bruce and Clark have reconciled, but big changes are coming. Now that they're back together, what does the future hold for them?
Relationships: Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne
Series: Making a Family [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611937
Comments: 7
Kudos: 69





	Second Batch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Juliakaze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juliakaze/gifts).



> Remember two years ago when I said I would write a sequel to Bun in the Oven? Well, here it is in all its glory! I had a lot of fun writing it! Also, I'm still working on the Penpal series, I'm just slow now in days.  
> Enjoy ^^

Bruce found that it was getting harder to live without him. He missed having Clark around. They still saw each other between work and super fights, but it wasn’t what Bruce wanted.

He looked forward to the weekends. He would stay at Clark’s place and spend the night with him and Johnathan. Or the times when Clark would stay at Bruce’s place for a few days. That way they could all be together.

He found himself cutting patrol short or skipping it all together on those days. He took joy in holding his son in his arms when he fed him in the dead of night. Clark always laughed.

“I don’t have to sleep,” Clark would remind him. “I could have done it.”

“I want to,” Bruce insisted. “You do most of the work. I like to help out when I can.”

John was just starting to babble, and Bruce couldn’t get enough of it. Alfred warned him that they had to be careful about what they were saying around him.

“You don’t want his first word being a cuss now do you?”

The boys had also accepted John into the family. Damian especially. He took his job as an older brother quite seriously. He made sure Bruce always had a fully stocked baby bag and was the first one to respond when he cried. Once Johnathan was a little older, Damian took to carrying him around.

Damian struggled with his weight but became determined when John squealed with delight as he showed him around the house.

Jason had proven himself to be the most capable when it came to watching him. He somehow mastered making a bottle with one hand. And he knew how to swaddle him quicker and snugger than anyone in the house.

Dick was the best source of entertainment. Funny faces and playtime were his specialties. He could keep John entertained for hours.

Tim, somehow, always knew what John wanted. If Alfred wasn’t there then Tim was the next reliable source. He just knew if it was the bottle or a diaper change.

“If you can’t get a baby sitter for that day, I could take him to work with me. I know you don’t want to miss this opportunity, and the boys were already going to be with me anyways.” Bruce was always ready to help out if he needed to. Clark lived the life of a single parent, and Bruce wanted to be there to support him.

“Are you sure?” Clark asked. He managed to get an exclusive interview, but his baby sitter canceled on him. “It could run late and he’s always a little fussy around five.”

“I got it,” Bruce promised him.

“If you’re sure,” Clark said. “I’ll let the daycare know you’re gonna be the one picking him up tomorrow.”

There were a few odd looks from the staff and other parents when he arrived at the daycare. Other than that, no one made a big deal over his presence. John’s face brightened when he saw it was Bruce picking him up. He reached out for him babbling until Bruce carried him.

“He was a little fussy today so he hasn’t napped yet,” One of the workers told him. “And we just put a clean diaper on him so he’s ready for the ride home.”

Bruce thanked them and started on the way back to work. A number of employees were lingering around his office. Everyone knew he had a new child, but no one had seen him yet.

“He’s so cute.”

“Look at his little cheeks.”

“Awe.”

“He looks just like you.”

John was, as the daycare workers had warned him, fussy. He wasn’t in the mood to meet new people. He started to cry when anyone reached out to pick him up. He preferred to stay with Bruce, and would calm down once he was back in his arms.

This proved to be a problem. When he set John down in his bassinet so he could get work done, he started to cry. Rocking him didn’t work, picking him up no longer worked. After changing his diaper, burping him and feeding him, Bruce was still at a loss as to what could be wrong.

“What does Clark normally do when he gets him home?” Tim asked as he watched Bruce desperately bouncing John to try and soothe him.

“I don’t know,” Bruce winced when John let out a rather shrill cry.

“Why don’t you just call him?” Dick asked.

“He’s interviewing someone right now,” Bruce said. “I don’t want to interrupt him.” Besides, he could do this. Clark took care of John by himself almost every day. He could figure this out.

After another few attempts of burping and feeding, he laid John’s favorite playtime blanket on the floor and got a few of his toys out. Once John was on the ground he seemed to calm down. He accepted his toy keys and shook them with vigor, giggling every time they moved.

Bruce let out a sigh of relief.

See, he could do this. He brought his tablet down to the floor with him. This way he could keep an eye on John and still get his work done. Even when he started to get fussy again, Bruce was able to scoop him up in the snuggly, where he eventually fell asleep.

“He wasn’t too much trouble, was he?” Clark asked when he came to pick him up.

“He was a bit upset in the beginning, but he settled in,” Bruce told him.

“Awe,” Clark cooed. “You ready to go home?” John only yawned as he was moved from one snuggly to the other. “Thanks for watching him.”

“If you want me to look after him more often I could,” Bruce wasn’t trying to sound eager, but he knows he did.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Clark smiled at him.

“What are you doing this weekend? Maybe we can grab some dinner? See a movie?” Bruce asked. He and Clark had been taking things slow, but they did have a date here and there when they could. It didn’t take much work to rekindle what they had and to fall back in love.

“I’d like that,” Clark agreed.

Occasionally, their dates would turn into family day. They would pick a kid-friendly place and take the kids with them. The most recent favorites were family restaurants. They got a table in the corner and John got a booster seat.

The media was starting to take notice of them. The only thing that would be difficult is explaining where John came from. When asked he gave no comment. The media was making up enough stories on their own that Bruce wasn’t worried. Besides, they were more concerned about his choice of partner. There was a picture of him kissing Clark goodnight circulating around.

“It’s a really good picture of you guys though,” Lois had said. She came over to babysit when she could.

“Isn’t it?” Clark agreed. “The lighting is amazing.”

“I know the photographer from the Gotham Gazette. I might be able to get you guys a hard copy.”

“Could you? That would be awesome. We could put it on the mantle,”

Bruce had learned to appreciate Clark’s friends. Lois wasn’t nearly as annoying when she wasn’t trying to pull information from him. She was very reliable whenever they needed help with the boys. Jimmy was always willing to lend a hand and had offered them a special on his family photo package. Co-workers were always offering hand-me-downs and the occasional casserole. Not to mention, Ma and Pa kept reminding them to come down to the farm.

Bruce wasn’t used to having this kind of support system. It had always just been him and Alfred. His friends were few, far, and in between. The few true ones he did have weren’t always reliable with their busy day today. This was a nice change of pace.

There were many weekends when he found himself on Clark’s couch. They would put on a kid’s movie, and Damian would try to get John to sing along. Clark was sure he would be talking any day now. The older three took to filtering in and out on nights like these. Clark would cook enough for everyone. Afterward, he settled in the living room with his laptop to get a little work done.

Bruce couldn’t help but smile. These moments felt so easy and made him think he could do this forever. Clark looked up from his work to smile at Bruce, and Bruce blushed. He wasn’t sure if Clark felt the same way, or if he was ready for that kind of commitment, but it didn’t stop his longing.

“It could be easier if we moved in with each other,” Bruce brought it up later. “We wouldn’t have to keep doing the back and forth between each other’s places.”

“That would be nice,” Clark agreed. “But it can’t be Gotham, I still need to commute to work and be close to the daycare.”

“Alfred can watch him during the day,” Bruce suggested.

“I know he’s capable, but I wouldn’t want to task him with an infant,” Clark said. “Maybe when John’s older it won’t be a big deal if he kept an eye on him after school.”

“I just wouldn’t want to be too far from my cave,” Bruce admitted.

“I had a feeling you would say that,” Clark wasn’t angry or disappointed, just matter-of-fact. “I know you’ve been making more time and cutting patrol short, and I appreciate that. But having your hideout under the house isn’t very kid-friendly. I can just imagine Damian wanting to take John downstairs to show him the cave.”

“That’s true,” Bruce grimaced.

“And I think, if we are going to get a place together, it should be ours. Somewhere where we can come together and make a home, not one person moving into the other person's space.”

“So, you want to go house hunting?” Bruce asked.

“Something like that. I know you like having a big house, but I really like having an apartment.”

“Really?”

“No lawn mowing, no driveway shoveling.”

“But when John and Damian get older they’re going to need somewhere they can play.”

“That’s true.” Clark mused, “And it would have to be somewhere near a good school district.”

“Private school,” Bruce said decisively. “It looks better on their resume.”

“And a low crime rate.”

“Should I call my realtor?”

“Yeah, we can start browsing over the weekend.”

Finding a place together was an adventure. Clark was enamored with the fully furnished kitchens, but Bruce was more into high ceilings and open floor plans. The kids were more concerned about being able to have their own rooms. Dick and Jason were in college, but they still wanted to have their own place to come back to during the break. Damian was the only one okay with sharing.

“It’s going to be like a mansion in order to fit everyone,” Bruce said. “Between the four boys’ room, the nursery, our room, maybe a guest room-”

“And Alfred?” Clark asked.

“Him too,” Bruce sighed. There was no way to find a happy medium unless… “We could draw up some blueprints,” Bruce said. “Find a nice spot and have our place built just for us.”

“That sounds really expensive,” Clark chuckled nervously. He knows Bruce is rich, but he couldn’t possibly fathom how much it would cost to buy a large enough plot of land much less build a home large enough for all of them.

“It wouldn’t be that much,” Bruce said. “I can talk to my accountants and have an estimate ready in a few hours. See what contractors we can get on board, have the place done a little after John's birthday.”

Metropolis was abuzz when it was heard that Bruce would be building a home in their town. And to hear that it was all to move in with his boyfriend and son only added to the gossip. Clark had to admit, it was exciting. He hadn’t expected Bruce to be okay leaving his childhood home, much less the town he sought to protect. But he did. All for them.

He’d been hesitant about building a house. Bruce would be the one paying for it, and while they were together, it wasn’t a, “for better or for worse,” kind of thing yet. He was always a little worried about what would happen if they had a falling out again. But they were talking to each other more, expressing themselves a little better, and confronting problems before they could fester.

He was also pleasantly surprised when Bruce stopped by the office one day. He wanted to get Clark’s signature on the paperwork for the house. Both their names would be on it. This would be their home.

~.~.~.~.~

They moved in the winter. They lucked out and managed to get everything in right before the first snow started to fall. The kids were busy unpacking their rooms, and Alfred was assisting Damian with his things. Clark was in the nursery putting things where they belong. Bruce had the wall color from the one back at the apartment recreated.

The kitchen and living room hadn’t been unpacked yet, but all the boxes were in the proper space. The place they hadn’t started to put together was their room. It hadn’t been talked about much, but they knew it would be a challenge to bring both their belongings in one place. They already had a small disagreement over Clark’s cow and sheep salt and pepper shakers, and Bruce’s matching crystal shakers.

“Settling in?” Clark asked when he got to the room. Bruce was in the middle of putting sheets on the bed.

“I put a few things in the closet. The rest can wait until the morning.” Bruce told him. “Is John asleep?”

“I just got him down,” Clark put the baby monitor down on the nightstand. It was more for Bruce than it was for him. “You know we got to get up early tomorrow to shovel or Alfred will do it.”

“We can send the boys out,” Bruce decided. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“And Alfred just finished tucking Damian in.”

“We still got a lot of stuff to unload. It’s gonna keep us busy for the rest of the weekend.”

“Maybe the day. When we’re indoors I can use my speed to make things go a little faster.” Clark sat down on the bed once Bruce had the blankets down. “We can have a nice family dinner afterward. I’m thinking some sort of pesto chicken, pasta kind of thing. Maybe hot sandwiches and soup?”

“I fail to see how those two things connect,” Bruce laid down next to him. “Besides, I don’t think Alfred is going to let you in the kitchen.”

“They’re both comfort food, and I think if I ask nicely he might be willing to share the space,” Clark said. “He’s let me help him a few times before. And he’ll probably be too busy with the china to cook tomorrow.”

“You underestimate Alfred,” Bruce was going to say more but he could hear John starting to fuss. “I’ll be right back.” He dropped a kiss on Clark’s lips before he got up.

~.~.~.~.~

Bruce thinks he heard when Clark got up in the morning. He knows the other man doesn’t sleep and gets restless in bed, so he wasn’t too surprised by it. Clark let him know when he was heading out to shovel. Oddly enough the boys said they were going with him to help.

“John’s been fed and changed so he should nap for a little longer,” Clark told him.

“I’ll be up in a little bit,” Bruce promised.

“Alfred’s working on breakfast.” Clark kissed his forehead. “So, I would be up before he comes to get you.”

“Noted.”

Alfred looked at him quizzically when he saw him in the kitchen.

“We got a lot to do today,” Was Bruce’s answer. He set John in his baby walker so he could explore the space.

“How far are they?” Bruce asked peeking out the window.

“They would have been done earlier if they stopped throwing snowballs, but they seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh as he watched them all gang up on Clark in an attempt to subdue him with snow. Damian had also joined them for the occasion. Bruce is pretty sure that Clark is letting them win. It brought a smile to Bruce’s face. He’d been worried that the boys wouldn’t bond with Clark. They were accepting of John and they never voiced a complaint against Clark. They also never said anything good. He thought an air of indifference was the best he could ask for, but he guessed he was wrong.

“We’re gonna go help the neighbors shovel out,” Clark had Damian in his arms when he stepped back in the door. They were both covered in snow. “But Damian did so much work he’s coming in for a hot cocoa break.”

“I’m gonna help Alfred make it,” Damian declared as he was set down. “John can have some too.”

“You’re going up the street?”

“Yeah. Dick, Jason, and Tim said they would come with me. I figure it’s a good way to introduce ourselves to the neighbors.”

“I’m sure they already know who we are.”

“It’s always good to say, ‘Hello.’”

“I’ll have something warm for you all when you get back in,” Alfred told him.

“Thank you,” Clark said as he left.

“Make sure they keep their earmuffs on,” Bruce called to his back. “And that they don’t put snow in each other’s pants.”

“I’ll do my best.”

~.~.~.~.~

It didn’t take long to put the place together. Clark made quick work of putting everything in its place. Moving furniture is always easy when you can lift it with one hand. Hanging pictures took a bit longer than expected. Alfred was very particular about where he wanted everything.

A little more to the left, up a little, down a little, up a bit more. It took a while to get it right. But in the end, the place felt more like home.

Clark successfully made dinner with a little help from Alfred. It was one of the few times Alfred allowed someone else in his kitchen. The boys were filling Bruce in on their snowball fight and meeting the neighbors. Damian told them all about making hot cocoa and helping John with his sippy cup.

“He’s been adventuring more,” Clark was playing with John and Damian on the floor. John had been standing up a lot lately. He would hold onto the edge of the coffee table and balance on unsteady legs. He fell down a lot, but everyone always held their breath when he tried to take a step forward.

“He seems a bit steadier today,” Bruce had his phone out. John had a determined look on his face. Clark kept his hands out by John’s side to catch him in case he fell, but left enough room for him to maneuver by himself.

“Alfred, I think he’s gonna do it,” Bruce called, and Alfred appeared next to him.

John stumbled and held onto the table. He seemed to be resting before trying again. This time he fell and sat there for a while looking frustrated. After a while, everyone let out a sigh as the moment passed, and John’s focus turned back to his toys.

“He’ll get there soon,” Clark said as Bruce put his phone down in disappointment.

“You guys should be getting ready for bed,” Bruce looked at the boys. They were already starting to doze. It had been a long day and they had gotten a lot of work done. For once they didn’t argue about staying up late. Even Damian went without a fuss.

“So,” Clark started to say.

“So?” Bruce asked back.

“I wanted to ask you, where do you think this is going? Whenever we talked about moving it was always about what’s best for John and the boys, but we’re sharing a room and I know what I want from this, but I wanted to hear from you, what you want.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t avoid saying it. I just, I love you. You know that. And I don’t plan on going anywhere. Do you feel the same?” Clark held his eyes the entire time he spoke, making it impossible for Bruce to look away.

“Of course I do,” Bruce said. “Why else would I do all this?”

“You went out of your way to not say it. I wasn’t sure what to think.”

“I’m not the kind of person to do things out of obligation. You know that.”

“But you also don’t always tell me what your intentions are. Just say you want to be with me.” Clark smiled softly and Bruce felt his heart skip a beat.

“I…” Before Bruce could say anything something caught the corner of his eye. John was standing and balancing on his own. He let out a giggle, drawing Clark’s attention right before he took a few stumbling steps in his direction.

“I got ya,” Clark had his arms out and scooped him up when he started to fall. He looked to Bruce and asked, “Did you get that?”

“No I didn’t have my phone,” Bruce lamented as he got off the couch to congratulate John. Clark kissed him the moment he was in range.

“We’ll get it next time.”

~.~.~.~.~

“So,” Lois looked around the fancy restaurant, then back to Bruce, “I’m guessing there’s a reason you asked me here?”

“I figure I owe it to Clark to get to know his friends and treat you for babysitting so often,” Bruce shrugged.

“Sounds nice in theory,” Lois went on, “But what’s the real story?”

“It’s a mix of things,” Bruce confesses. “What I just said was true, but I also wanted to get your opinion on something.”

“I’m listening.”

“What kind of jewelry is Clark into? I only ever see him wearing his father’s watch.”

“Why not ask him yourself?”

“It would give away the surprise.”

“Surprise?”

Bruce leaned in and lowered his voice, so he could say, “I want to ask him to marry me.”

If Lois had been drinking something, then she would have to spit it out. Instead, her mouth just opened and closed at a loss of words. She hadn’t expected this. She thought for sure that Bruce would be content to let them keep the relationship they had and that Clark would be the one to propose.

“But I don’t want to get him something too flashy,” Bruce went on. “But I’m not sure if he likes gold or silver, a diamond or a gem.”

“Did you try asking him?”

“At this point, it would be too obvious.” Bruce lamented. “I know he wouldn’t want a huge diamond on his hand, or anything that would draw too much attention, but I don’t want it to be so plain that it looks like I just picked something out at random.”

“With Clark, it’s more about the sentimental value, than the monetary value.”

“I already have an inscription planned out. But after that, I don’t know where to go.”

“Something classic,” Lois mused. “He’s not that into modern designs.”

“True,” Bruce agreed, “maybe something like the setting his mom has.”

“That could work. You could do a sapphire or topaz instead of a diamond.”

“His favorite color is blue, but he might prefer the diamond. It’s more traditional.”

“You can afford to do both.”

“True.” 

“So, make a decision instead of using all this as an excuse to stall.”

“I’m not-”

“Your ‘perfectionism’ is just a coping mechanism to help you stall. ‘I can’t move forward unless everything is perfect.’ Then you nitpick every little flaw. You could propose to that man without a ring and he’d still be head over heels for you. What I’m saying is, don’t stress the small stuff. As long as you’re sincere you’ll be fine.”

Bruce decided that she was right. He would go along with his original plan and get a simple setting, a sapphire flanked by two diamonds, and an inscription written in both English and Kryptonian. The band would be polished platinum.

It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment to ask. He wanted the moment to be private, something between just the two of them. He always imagined doing it on the beach at sunset, or at the top of a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city at sunset, or even at the park by Clark’s favorite statue at sunset. Something that would be memorable.

But life didn’t always lend itself to convenience. Clark was uncovering an embezzling scandal in the Metropolis public schools, while Bruce was dealing with an international business deal. They were hardly home when the other was, and when that did happen there was always something going on with the kids. From Dick melting down over finals, to Damian having trouble making friends in preschool, there was always something happening. Now that John was mobile things were that much harder to keep track of.

They tried to come together for dinner, but that didn’t always happen either. By the end of the day, they were both tired, and of course, there was a supervillain to deal with. He wasn’t sure when he was going to get a good time to ask.

It made him think back to what Lois said. Maybe he just needed to stop dragging his feet and just do it. There was never going to be a “perfect time” with the way they lived.

“Alfred let you wash the dishes?” Bruce came in late one night to find Clark up at the sink.

“I’m just cleaning out John’s sippy cups, so they’ll be dry in the morning. How was work?”

“A lot of long boring business meetings.” Bruce leaned against the counter and watched Clark work.

“Any closer to Wayne Enterprises taking over the world?”

“You make me sound like the leader of some villainous empire,” Bruce faux offense. Clark chuckled and shook his head. Bruce took the opportunity to clear his throat and change the subject. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“What’s up?” Clark didn’t look up from his work.

“It’s about what we were talking about the other day. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought.” This probably wasn’t the best way to start the conversation. Clark hadn’t looked up at him, but his shoulders tensed as Bruce continued. He had to turn this around. He went on saying, “You were right about how I don’t always state my intentions. I do love you, and I don’t see myself being with anyone else.”

Bruce’s heart was beating out of his chest as he fingered the ring box in his pocket. He knows Clark can tell he’s nervous and was being courteous by not interrupting him, but he was also hoping he’d say something to break the tension.

“What I’m trying to say is,” He knew it was now or never as he kneeled on one knee. “I don’t plan on going anywhere, and I was hoping that you would want to marry me.”

“Wha-” Clark finally looked up, then realized he had to look down. Bruce was presenting a ring to him as he awaited his answer. Clark was glowing as he gave a silent nod, grinning from ear to ear. His feet were no longer touching the ground as he started to float.

Bruce held his breath as he slipped the ring onto Clark’s soapy finger. He watched as the younger man gushed over the inscription before he leaned over to kiss him. And at that moment, everything was perfect.

~.~.~.~.~

Wedding planning was a whole different animal. Clark always thought he would get married in his parent’s barn or in the town chapel. Bruce wanted to pull out all the stops and have the most extravagant ceremony. They had to somehow find a middle ground. So far the only thing they could agree on was that John would make an adorable ring bearer. When they asked the other boys if they wanted to walk with him they got a resounding, “no.” Even Damian was against it.

“A church would be nice,” Clark said. “The Gotham Cathedral does have a European vibe to it that you don’t get from newer churches. They have these amazing stained glass windows.”

“Stained glass?”

“Yeah, and when the light shines through them it’s looks stunning.”

Flower arrangements, touring venues, picking out a menu, and finding good stationery for the invites, was just the beginning. The guest list kept growing as Clark remembered people he wanted to invite. Picking out a color scheme and matching tuxedos was a lot more challenging then he thought it would be.

“Green?” Clark’s nose crinkled at the suggestion.

“What’s wrong with green?” Bruce crossed his arms.

“What shade of green are we talking about.”

“A deep forest green,” Bruce showed him the color swatch as they lingered at the tailor's shop. They were supposed to be getting their measurements done.

“I’m not seeing it.”

“And what color were you thinking of?”

“Blue.”

“Figures.”

“Blues a good color.”

“For Easter or a baby shower, maybe.”

“A dark navy blue?” Clark quirked an eyebrow. “We could just do green on your side and blue on mine. Then the waistcoats could be reversed so we’re also wearing each other's colors.”

“I was thinking cummerbunds and bow ties.”

“I’ve never worn a cummerbund before.”

“Are you against it?” Bruce asked.

“Just a statement,” Clark shrugged. “I’m fine with it.”

They got everyone measured, picked out the right colors, and moved on to the next step. They had to find a caterer and a baker. Bruce thought he was a picky eater, but Clark was even more selective than him. He’d forgotten about his super senses. It made it hard to find something that Clark considered good enough.

The one thing they both wanted was a classically decorated cake. It would have lemon frosting to keep the outside white and the cake would be strawberry with a strawberry jam filling. But they went to seven different bakeries before they agreed on who had the best one.

The day was drawing closer and Bruce found himself giddy. He’d been warned of cold feet, but whenever he thought of the wedding, a warm feeling blossomed in his chest. Even when he was in the church getting dressed, he just couldn’t wait to get married.

Alfred found himself trying not to cry as he straightened Bruce’s bow.

“I’m very happy for you,” the butler smiled as he smoothed Bruce’s hair back into place. “I’m glad you and Clark stayed together after all.”

“Me too.” Bruce didn’t try to hide his happiness. A few years ago, he never thought he would be here. But now, as he took his place by the altar, holding Clark’s hand, he was more than ready to make this vow.

~.~.~.~.~

“Shit,” Tim was on his hands and knees as he searched around the floor.

“What happened?” Jason asked when he saw John pouting while holding onto his ring bearer pillow.

“John lost the rings,” Dick said from the other side of the room.

“What?” Jason closed the door behind them.

“Can’t find,” John held up the pillow to Jason.

“I thought there was supposed to be a magnet or something to keep them in place.”

“Well it didn’t work,” Tim snapped. “Stop standing there and start looking.”

“What did they even look like?” Jason asked as he crouched next to Tim. He didn’t want to ruin the knees of his good pants.

“Rings,” Dick snapped.

“Watch the tone,” Damian said. “He’s already upset about it.” He was trying to keep John calm but the raising tension in the room wasn’t helping. “Don’t worry we’ll find them.”

“I found one,” Dick triumphantly raised it in the air.

“Then the other ones got to be over there,” Tim said as they all converged where Dick was searching. It wasn’t long until they could hear the music playing. The ceremony was starting, Bruce would be wondering why they weren’t out there yet.

“Shit,” Jason cursed. “I found it.”

“Where?” Dick asked.

“Behind the bookcase,” Jason tried to move it but it was too heavy and wouldn’t budge.

“I can’t reach it,” Tim sighed when he couldn’t get his arm to fit.

“Damian you got thin arms. Get over here,” Dick instructed, but even that proved to be fruitless.

“We don’t have much time,” Tim was trying not to sound frantic.

Then, John toddled over and help Jason shove the bookcase. The next thing they knew it was in the middle of the floor and the ring was in plain view. They all just stared at him for a moment. They didn’t know that his strength was starting to develop.

“We’ll tell them about it later,” Tim decided.

“Good job John. You found the ring,” Damian put both pieces of jewelry on the pillow.

“Thank you,” John smiled and giggled, almost dropping them again.

“You gotta hold it like this,” Damian put his hands under John’s to help keep it up.

“Guys, we need to get a move on. Clark’s already at the altar.”

“If he goes by himself he’s gonna lose them again,” Tim said.

“We can’t just stand around here,” Jason added.

They looked at each other and grimaced. They knew what they had to do.

~.~.~.~.~

Bruce was overjoyed when he saw all his boys coming down the aisle with Johnathan. They had made such a fuss over not wanting to be a ring bearer, but here they were. Damian was balancing the pillow with John and kept it level whenever the toddler got distracted. Tim had his hands-on John’s shoulders, gently guiding him so he wouldn’t go off course when he saw someone he wanted to say hi to. Dick and Jason flanked either side with a similar duty to Tim.

John stopped to wave at Lois in the audience, and Jason had to pick him up to keep him moving. John looked ready to throw a fit when he realized that he no longer had his pillow, but Damian passed it up before tears could fall.

When they got to the alter John proudly handed them the pillow, and Damian handed them the two rings. He’d taken them when Jason picked John up. Bruce and Clark chuckled as they thanked them.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch. Bruce dipped Clark when they kissed before hefting him up and carrying him down the aisle. Bruce cried during their first dance. They swayed on the dance floor together for the first time in front of all their friends and family.

Talking the boys into dancing with him was a bit tricky. Dick was all for it, but Jason was very reluctant. Tim seemed to be expecting it and didn’t struggle when he got pulled on the dance floor.

The one who was the most difficult was oddly enough, Damian. He was going through his, “too cool to hang with the family,” phase. There were even times when he tried to pretend he wasn’t interested in what the others were up to. He was good at ignoring Tim’s coming and goings, but the moment John started to fuss the façade would drop, and he would be at the toddler’s side. Like how right now he was following John as he walked around and met the family.

Ma Kent found him on the dance floor and congratulated him. She expressed how good it was that he and Clark were together.

“I’ve never seen him this happy,” the older woman beamed at him as they danced. Her smaller hands didn’t feel delicate in Bruce’s hand, but resilient from all the years of work on the farm. “It’s good to see that you guys worked things out and managed to come together.”

Then she was off to get the grandkids on the dance floor. She was very excited about her new role as grandma.

He also danced with Pa Kent, which he hadn’t been expecting, but once the old man got a hold of him he didn’t let go. The conversation was reminiscent of what he spoke of with Ma. He congratulated them on finally tying the knot. He said he always had a feeling that they would end up together, even before they had formally announced that they were a couple.

“He always had a look about himself when he talked ‘bout you,” Pa said. “It was how we figured out about your night work.”

“I beg your pardon?” That had taken Bruce by surprise.

“We figured he’s not the type to put his eggs in more than one basket, so when he mentioned a Bruce and his night patrol buddy, we figured you were the same person. He never said it, still hasn’t but we don’t mind as long as ya’ll are happy and the kids are looked after.”

“We’ve been managing things just fine,” was all Bruce could say.

“Goodman,” Pa pat him on the back before Clark cut in for the last dance. He had a sleeping John in his arms.

“I think it’s about time we called it a night,” Clark said as he stepped into Bruce’s arms. “This guy is asleep, and Damian is trying to pretend he’s not tired.”

“Guess the time has come to pass them off to Alfred,” Bruce mused. Alfred said he would watch them during the two weeks they were on their honeymoon. Ma Kent would have done it if they didn’t have to get back to the farm. She asked if they would be able to just fly the boys down, but Clark was worried about John’s first time flying. He didn’t want him getting fussy and breaking something.

“You guys can call if you need anything,” Clark said.

“There’s no need to worry,” Alfred chided. “I’ve looked after this lot before. They’re in very capable hands. You two should focus on having a good time.”

“We will,” Bruce promised. Alfred pulled him into a tight hug before the boys said goodbye.

~.~.~.~.~

Time passed and life went on. Bruce shouldn’t be surprised by how quickly John grew, but he was. It seemed like just yesterday he could barely crawl, and now he was running across the house at top speed. Sometimes Bruce only knew he’d gone by because he would feel a gust of wind.

“How did your family raise you?” Bruce asked. He always had to be worried about flailing limbs since John didn’t know his own strength.

“I have no idea,” Clark took John from Bruce’s arms.

“What did they do during your rebellious phase?”

“I didn’t really have one. I back talked my mom once, and then immediately apologized.”

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh. He could just imagine a teenage Clark, towering over Ma with some snappy come back before begging for forgiveness.

“I’m gonna talk to Hal, and see if the Lanterns have anything to help dampen John’s powers. I think some of his tantrums are coming from overstimulation.”

“How bad does it get?”

“You know how I can hear every heartbeat in the world. For him, it’s probably only the town, but all that sensory coming in at once, and not knowing what it is, can be distressing.”

“Are you ever overwhelmed?”

“Sometimes, but I’ve learned to cope with it.”

“Well, if they can find something for John, then they might be able to find something to help you too.”

As it turned out, Hal did have a solution. It was a watch that would limit the yellow sun rays that he would absorb. The watch was waterproof and would be able to grow with the boy. For right now only the adults could change the settings, but when John got older, he would be able to unlock them and choose how fast and strong he was.

“But because of your natural strength and durability he should be fine,” Hal promised. “I don’t even think he could get a paper cut. And done,” Hal passed John to Bruce. “No more worrying about getting super slapped by your son. And with less audio interference he should start talking more.”

“You think that his powers were causing a delay?” Clark asked.

“He’s getting bombarded by gibberish all day long. How could he distinguish one word from the other?” Hal said like it was obvious. “As for you,” he turned to Clark, “I have a watch for you as well.”

“Does it work the same way?” Clark asked.

“Exactly the same,” Hal said as he put it on Clark’s wrist. He took the liberty of turning his power level down. “And that’s a safe level for you to interact with humans. You can turn it lower, but I would work up to it, so it won’t be a shock.”

“Thanks,” Clark was looking at his hands as he spoke before looking around the room. He was taking everything in slowly. He cautiously stepped forward to test his strength.

“It may take some getting used to.”

Clark wasted no time taking Bruce and John into his arms. He missed this kind of intimacy. His powers got stronger as he grew, and by the time he was in his late teens, he was either numb to most contact, or super sensitive. But it didn’t matter because he became so strong, he couldn’t touch anyone without hurting them if he didn’t concentrate.

As he got older he tried not to think about it too much. There wasn’t anything he could to about the situation anyways. All he could do was treasure the moments he had when he was young. It was like he was getting to regain a part of himself again. Now he kind of wished he talked to the Green Lanterns about this sooner.

It let him be more hands-on with the kids. They were all passed the hand-holding phase except for John, but he was able to give good night hugs and pat them on the back. Things that most people would take for grant it.

Bruce noticed the changes in Clark. He was cuddlier. And John was becoming more social. He liked to follow Damian around the house and see what he was up to. Damian would explain his homework to John, so it wasn’t long until he was talking in complete sentences.

“Do you ever think you would want another?” Clark asked as they sat on the couch together. Damian and John had fallen asleep in the comfy chair watching cartoons.

“Another?”

“I was kind of hoping for a girl at some point. John is getting older so we won’t have to worry about dealing with two babies running around. I was wondering if you’ve maybe thought about it.”

“Not really,” Bruce said honestly. “We already have five kids ya know.”

“Yeah, but Dick and Jason are in college. Tim is already getting acceptance letters. Soon it’s just going to be Damian and John around the house.”

“You already getting empty nest syndrome?”

“Maybe a little.”

“I’d have to think about it,” Bruce said. “Wouldn’t we need a new pod, though?”

“No, our DNA is already on file.”

“Would we be able to guarantee it’s a girl?”

“It’s recommended to set it to random and let nature take its course like we did last time.”

It took Bruce a few weeks before he knew for sure. But despite the trials of John’s infant phase, he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it, and that the idea of having another wasn’t pleasant. He still wasn’t sure if he wanted a girl though. He just didn’t know if he would be able to meet her needs as a father. But their support network was vast. Lois and Diana would be a good role model. Maybe it was something he could do?

When he told Clark that he was ready to try again, the other man's face lit up and he smothered him in kisses. The boys seemed indifferent to the news except for Damian who was hyped to have another younger sibling. John was miffed at the idea of no longer being the baby, but Clark was sure they would get past that.

In the meantime, they were turning one of the guest rooms into the new nursery. Bruce was glad to be apart of the planning this time. He and Clark painted the room together, picked out furniture and toys. It was one of the most domestic things they had ever done together.

“You’re giddy,” Alfred noted. The pod had been set a few months ago. They already tweaked the power settings on the pod and set the gender to random. By now the gender should be determined, though. There was a debate if they should look at the settings now, or wait until the day of the birth.

Part of Bruce wanted to know, the other part of him didn’t. Knowing now would get rid of the anticipation. But wasn’t the joy of all this the surprise? Then Clark said three words.

“Gender reveal party.”

Barry volunteered to help plan it. He and Hal got to find out what the gender would be so they could plan the party accordingly. Bruce covered the expenses. He’d recently gotten new personal assistance, Terry McGinnis, who would be the one to send the payments to the appropriate places.

“I can’t help it,” Bruce said. They were driving to the hall they had rented for the party. Dick and Jason were already there. Tim sat in the back seat with his headphones in and a book in hand. John and Damian were chatting in their booster seat.

“Clark just got off of work,” Alfred saw the text come in on the phone screen. “He says he’ll meet us there.”

“That’s good.”

“And Barry invited Jimmy, but he’ll also be taking pictures of the event. Isn’t that nice.”

“Yeah.” Bruce was only able to give idle answers. Once he was inside, he found that the color scheme was mostly grey. He guessed it was apart of the surprise.

“The whole room is gonna get filled with color during the reveal,” Barry bounced excitedly. “We have baby games and snacks. Just wait until you see the cake.”

“You guys really went all out.”

“Barry was super excited about the unlimited budget,” Hal smirked. “We barely spent a thousand, but that’s still a lot for us. Most of it went towards the cake though. Custom cakes are worth an arm and a leg if you want to feed all your guests”

“Are you going to tell me if I have a brother or a sister?” John asked.

“You’ll find out in a little while,” Barry promised.

“A little while?” John crossed his arms. “How long is that in adult time?”

“About an hour or so,” Barry admitted. “There’s snacks and games. I’m sure the time will pass quickly once you start having fun.”

“Come on John,” Damian took his hand. “Let’s go see what there is to do.”

Bruce watched them go off. Tim had already found where Dick and Jason were hanging out with the other teens.

“I guess us old people are boring,” Barry shrugged.

“I’m Batman, but they still call me lame,” Bruce sighed.

“Wally’s started going faster than me and won’t let me live it down,” Barry admitted. “But there’s no point in doting on it. There’s a good spread. Everyone is here. And you’re gonna find out if it’s a boy or a girl, so go mix and mingle.”

Diana hugged him when she saw him. He forgot that she was a hugger. Lois greeted him while Diana held him in air. The two of them had become good friends around the time of John’s birth, so it wasn’t unusual to see them together.

“Congrats,” Diana squeezed him. “I can’t wait to meet your new addition.”

“Thanks,” he managed to gasp. “Please put me down.”

“Sorry.”

“Congratulations,” Lois smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Are Ma and Pa not coming?” Lois asked.

“No, they weren’t able to make it, so we’re going to video chat them when it’s time. But they are going to fly down for the birth. Ma’s been knitting up a storm to get ready, and Pa’s been asking for measurements of the nursery.”

“Did he say what he’s making?”

“A new toy chest,” Bruce said. “We still have the crib and book rack from last time and the rocking chair.”

“He’s also thinking about making a rocking horse,” Clark’s voice came from behind him. Bruce spun around and smiled at him.

“We won’t know for another half hour,” Bruce told him.

“I’m gonna poke Barry and see if I can’t push up the schedule.” Clark decided.

“Good luck with that.”

“Any reason to cut into that cake faster is motivation enough for him.”

Sure enough, after a little persuasion, Barry called for everyone’s attention.

“We all know why we’re here today,” Barry started his little speech. “Our friends, Clark and Bruce are having another child. But we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. Actually, I do. But worry not, everyone will get to find out in just a little bit. Are you guys ready?”

Everyone cheered. Bruce grasped Clark’s hand. The kids had gathered around with them. The older three waited patiently while John bounced excitedly. He just wanted to know already. Lois was holding the phone so Ma and Pa could see what was going on.

“Let’s count it down!” Barry pumped his fist in the air and the group started to count back from 3, 2, 1. Barry took off at top speed, pulling all the grey covering off the furniture revealing the pink underneath. At the same time, pink confetti fell from the ceiling and Cherry Bomb by The Runaways started playing.

“It’s a girl!” Barry cheered!

Bruce was in awe as he watched all the pink paper falling from the sky. He was pulled back to reality when Clark took his face in his hands and kissed him. Clark was beaming, full of glee, and Bruce couldn’t help but think about how this was how it should have been the first time. He wondered if Clark was thinking the same thing.

~.~.~.~.~

“Are you reading about puberty?” Clark asked Bruce one night.

“For girls, yeah,” Bruce had his reading light on.

“You know that’s years away, right?”

“I want to be prepared.”

Clark snorted at him, “Anyways, I just finished putting the last of the stuff from the party in the nursery. We have a lot of diapers and new kids' books. Pa said the toy chest should be here in a few weeks and from there it’s just decorating.”

“I was wondering if we should get someone to paint animals on the wall,” Bruce mused. “It could be a simplistic landscape, kind of like a farm.”

“That’s a good idea,” Clark agreed. “And Jimmy sent over the tape and photo albums from the reveal. I haven’t looked at them yet.”

“Are you thinking about names?” Bruce closed his book and put it on the nightstand.

“Joan,” Clark said decidedly. “I was going to name John that if he’d been a girl.”

“I was wondering if Martha could be on the table? My mom was named Martha. Ma is named Martha. It goes with both families.”

“Maybe,” Clark mused. “I would have to think about it. It would be pretty confusing when we go to visit Ma.”

“You’re really set on Joan, aren’t you?” Bruce smirked.

“A little,” Clark admitted.

“What about a middle name?”

“Joan Martha..?”

“Martha Joan.” Bruce corrected. There was also the issue of the last name. Grayson, Todd, Drake, Wayne, Kent, none of the kids had the same last name. John had Wayne as a middle name. It drove home for Bruce how much it meant for the name to have family significance. But it also meant that it was important to Clark. Neither of them wanted to veto the other's name but…

“Kent,” Clark said.

“Or Wayne,” Bruce suggested.

This went on for a few days. It wasn’t an argument, but it was a serious debate. Damian rolled his eyes whenever they started. John did so as well, but he was just copying Damian. Tim didn’t seem to care either way. The school year was coming to an end and he had finals to worry about.

“How about this?” Clark started then paused when he saw what Bruce was reading. “Is that a book on bras.”

“Did you know cup sizes are measured in ounces?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Bras are just the top parts of corsets, and it shows. No one likes them, but no one has made one that’s comfortable. And they’re so expensive.

“Are you going to invest in making bras?”

“Maybe. Do you know how many women talk about getting cut by underwire? What if that happens to Joan?”

“Are you okay? You’ve been stressing this stuff for a while now, and she still has about another month or so in the pod.”

“I’m not worried about having these kinds of talks with John. I’ve done it a thousand times before. But I am a man, so I’ve gone through what they’re going through first hand. I have no idea what menstruation is like, or how to place a pad or tampon. What use am I if I can’t help her with those things?”

“Again, that’s years away,” Clark chuckled as he sat down on the bed next to Bruce. “We don’t need to know everything right now, and we do have female friends. If we have questions, we can ask them. There are some things we’re gonna get right and other things we’re probably going to learn with her, but as long as we’re supportive it will be okay. It’s good you’re reading up on stuff, but don’t stress too much. You’ll go gray.”

“First of all, I would still be sexy with a bit of salt and pepper.”

“That is true.”

“And it just makes me feel better to be prepared.”

“I’m not saying don’t read up on it, but don’t drive yourself crazy. We got this.”

Bruce sighed and nodded before asking, “What were you saying when you came in?”

“I think I figured out the name thing.”

“Joan Martha Wayne, right?”

“No. Joan Pennyworth Martha Kent.”

Bruce paused. He did kind of like the sound of that. All the same, “Give me a few days to think it over.”

“Alright,” Clark snuggled in. With his new watch, Bruce was finding that Clark enjoyed sleeping, and he liked sleeping close. Not that he was complaining.

The days passed quickly. Before he knew it Ma and Pa were already in town and the pod was hovering and glowing as the count down began. There were only a few more days until Joan would be here.

The nursery was done and there were new toys in the toy chest. The books Lois got were safely in the book rack. Diana had gifted them a pelt blanket they had placed in the crib. The walls were done being decorated with fun animal portraits, and new pictures now hung on the walls. Lastly, the house had been re-baby proofed.

“You ready for tomorrow?” Clark asked.

“Are you?” Bruce shot back.

“Are you still freaking out?”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“He was like this before John was born too,” Tim informed him from his spot on the couch.

“Is he going to be okay?”

“He pulled it together last time.” Tim shrugged.

“I’ll let you work it out then,” Clark rubbed Bruce’s back. “And I’ll make some tea.”

Clark spent the next few hours trying to distract Bruce, but not much could. His mind was occupied with the thoughts of the future.

“You thought you couldn’t handle John, but things are going just fine with him,” Clark said during the last few hours. It wasn’t as big of a gathering as last time. Not everyone could make it. Ma brought enough food to feed an army, which was good because Jason could eat enough for two.

“I know that,” Bruce couldn’t take his eyes off the countdown.

“It’s going to be alright,” Clark rests his head on Bruce’s shoulder. Not much else was said after that. Things started to quiet down and everyone gathered around the pod in anticipation. Bruce’s hands found Clark’s and gave it a soft squeeze. While he was nervous a lot of what he was feeling now was excitement.

The pod dinged and started to open up. There was a cry as Joan took in her first breath. Clark let Bruce bundle her up and pull her out. She settled into his arms almost immediately.

And just like with John, he never wanted to let her go.

Fin

**Author's Note:**

> Ta Da!  
> Nothing but fluff!  
> Drop a comment if you liked it. They're always appreciated.


End file.
